New Luton manager deal ‘close to being agreed’, says report

Luton fans hold placards that spell COYH for 'Come on You Hatters' just before kick-off against Sunderland in the Championship play-off semi-final second leg, one of former boss Rob Edwards' defining matches in charge of the Hatters. Photo by Liam Smith

Luton’s search for a managerial replacement for Rob Edwards is nearing an end, according to a report from Sky Sports.

Last week, Town parted ways with the man that steered them to the Premier League in 2023, after a fourth straight defeat and a tenth consecutive loss away from Kenilworth Road.

On Friday, Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet said that the search was not limited to candidates currently out of work and that the club were hoping to have a new man in place quickly, with interviews understood to have taken place from yesterday (Sunday).

Bookmakers made Wycombe Wanderers boss Matt Bloomfield favourite for the job, but SkyBet today suspended the betting, and Sky Sports are now reporting that he is expected to get the job.

Sky Sports News’ reporter Kaveh Solhekol has said: “A deal close to being agreed for Matt Bloomfield to become the new Luton Town manager. Bloomfield is expected to leave Wycombe Wanderers this week. He led them to second in League One on a significantly smaller budget than promotion rivals Birmingham City and Wrexham.

“Wycombe also beat Championship side Portsmouth in the FA Cup on Friday. If Bloomfield leaves Wycombe, it will be with a heavy heart. He is regarded as being one of the best up-and-coming English managers in the game, and went to see Gareth Southgate for dinner in Harrogate two months ago to ask him for advice.”

Bloomfield, 40, who spent virtually he whole of his playing career at Wycombe, has steered the Chairboys to second in League One behind moneybags leaders Birmingham City, having also rescued Colchester United from relegation in his first managerial appointment in 2022.

That will be the first requirement of any new manager, with Luton sitting just two points above the Championship drop zone.

Asked about being linked with the Hatters job on Friday night, after masterminding a 2-0 FA Cup victory over Championship Portsmouth, Bloomfield told the BBC: “I’m aware of the speculation because we all have friends that like to send us links to stuff and like to tell you even though I try to stay away from it all. I’m not on social media, I don’t read anything.

“But, as I said at Wigan, it’s flattering to be linked with clubs higher up the food chain, because it shows, as a football club, we’re making progression.

“It’s extremely flattering, that’s all I know. My job was firmly on the game tonight.”

If Bloomfield is the man for Luton, the Hatters will likely have to fork out compensation, with some reports claiming that would set Town back £100,000.

When asked about paying to prise a manager away from another club, Town CEO Sweet said last week: “If we were to take a manager from another club and it’s not out of the question, then if we do it in the right way, such is the way for example Southampton took Nathan (Jones) the last time round.

“There is an appropriate level of compensation, the process that you go through is respectful and polite, certainly there is no other way of doing it for us, so if there is one that’s in work then as a club we wouldn’t shy away from that. But the other club has to in some way benefit from it, it’s got to be fair. So as long as we’re fair, then we would look at that, we’re not only looking at managers who are out of work.”